{"id":13968,"date":"2019-01-22T17:38:42","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T08:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/suzuichi-s.co.jp\/s\/?p=13968"},"modified":"2026-10-13T17:17:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:17:07","slug":"setsubun-beans-differ-by-region-why-peanuts-are-great-for-bean-throwing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/suzuichi-s.co.jp\/s\/en\/13968\/","title":{"rendered":"Setsubun Beans Differ by Region: Why Peanuts Are Great for Bean-Throwing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Setsubun Bean-Throwing: Soybeans or Peanuts?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

February 3rd is Setsubun (\u7bc0\u5206), a traditional Japanese festival marking the day before the start of spring. Families throw beans while shouting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (“Demons out! Good luck in!”) to drive away bad luck. So here’s a question: what kind of beans do you throw?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Soybeans, of course!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Peanuts, obviously!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, the beans used for Setsubun differ by region<\/strong>. Which regions use soybeans, and which use peanuts? Why throw peanuts at all, and what makes them better than soybeans? There are good reasons to recommend peanuts for Setsubun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Peanuts<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In Hokkaido and Tohoku, Peanuts Are the Custom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This may be surprising if you grew up with soybeans, but in Hokkaido, the Tohoku region, and parts of Kyushu and Kanto, throwing peanuts is the custom<\/strong>. In those areas, soybeans are actually the minority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most other regions use soybeans. The dividing line between soybeans and peanuts seems to run roughly along the border between Kanto and Tohoku.<\/strong> Among our customers, too, more people in the north buy peanuts for Setsubun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Chiba Prefecture, Japan’s largest peanut producer, uses soybeans, while Hokkaido and Tohoku, major soybean producers, use peanuts. It’s a funny reversal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Setsubun<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly Practical? Two Reasons to Use Peanuts for Setsubun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the regions above, throwing peanuts has long been the custom, but there are good reasons to try peanuts elsewhere too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n